Asthma is a serious and scary disease that can take lives if it is not treated in time. If a child is exhibiting asthma symptoms, it is important to take them to a doctor right away. For adults that have never experienced these symptoms in their childhood, recognizing them as an adult can be difficult. Those who don't know the symptoms can end up in a lot of danger, so knowing about asthma symptoms could help to save a life.
Asthma Attack Signs:
When a person is having an asthma attack, the most obvious sign will probably be shortness of breath. This could include trouble breathing and wheezing, which is often very apparent. However, even those who don't wheeze may still have asthma. Some may experience chest pain and pressure, as well as fits of coughing. Just because a person doesn't have symptoms at a particular moment doesn't mean that they do not have asthma, as certain environmental factors can trigger an episode. Some may notice that exercise makes their symptoms worse, while others have problems with their asthma when they are fighting off a cold or suffering from allergies.
Early Asthma Symptoms:
Those who aren't sure if they may be suffering from asthma should look into the early symptoms. They may feel tired or weak after taking long walks, or even have mood problems such as becoming more irritable. Using a peak flow meter can measure how well a person is breathing, and if it is showing that their lung function is decreasing they may be interested in going to see a doctor. Having difficulty sleeping may even be a sign that a person is developing asthma. These are just the symptoms of having the condition, having an actual attack may present different symptoms.
Asthma Symptoms Continued:
Those who are having an asthma attack may have uncontrolled coughing, be breathing very quickly, wheeze when they attempt to breathe, have trouble talking and may be panicking or feeling anxious. It can be terrifying to feel the difficulty in breathing, and those who are having a very serious attack may even begin to develop blue lips. This can be scary, and immediate action must be taken to ensure that this person doesn't get worse. Over time, the wheezing may stop because lung function has deteriorated so much. While it might sound better, this can be a very serious sign that something is wrong.
Treating Asthma Attacks:
Asthma attacks can be fatal, so parents should make sure that they are monitoring their children for these symptoms. Watching children and taking immediate action if they are having an asthma attack is important, so it is best to seek treatment immediately if a child is having difficulty breathing. There are several types of inhalers which can help an asthma sufferer to start breathing normally again, so having these on hand at all times is very important. In the case that there is not, it may be important to take the person having the asthma attack to the hospital. Knowing these symptoms in general can help people to be sure that they are always safe.